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Zambello will direct 'Mermaid'

Francesca Zambello, noted for her 20-year career directing grand opera, aims to branch onto Broadway, having been enlisted by Disney Theatricals to direct its stage adaptation of the 1989 Disney film, "The Little Mermaid."

A Disney spokesman on Wednesday confirmed a Variety report that Zambello has taken over as director of the musical, which is still being developed, with no production date set. Matthew Bourne dropped out after directing early workshops of "The Little Mermaid," which will feature new songs by Alan Menken.

Zambello continues to direct at venues such as Paris Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, but in recent years she has established high-profile credentials as a director of family-oriented shows.